The Clause: Victim Of A Casual Thing
It's been a long time coming. The Clause first broke through with debut single 'Sixteen' in August 2017, and the journey since then has been one that has taken them to muddy festival fields, support slots with The K's, James, The Snuts and DMA's, being dropped by a record label, and gaining a fan base which had grown to love the band.
The band's debut record has been described as "the soundtrack of four mates growing up together." A nifty little sentence that, in my opinion, perfectly sums up this record.
It's full of self-confidence, youthful chaos, heartbreak, broken dreams and late-night hedonism.
Lead single, 'Nothing's As It Seems' captures a band in the middle of self-pity and bravado, deliberately melodramatic, and with one of the biggest choruses released this year. It kicks open the door with its anthemic quality. The ambition is hear to be seen and heard, this is an arena ready anthem, and it's the opening track to a debut record. Lyriically it's one of the band most underrated gems, with a real bite.
The bridge line ,“Don’t waste your time wishing you were somewhere, nothing matters when you’re six foot under” , is vintage The Clause. Smartly cynical, youthful but reflective.
'Tell Me What You Want' is the bands most musically advanced trakc on the album dipping into the dancefloor with a funk like beat, with nods to The Killers, and Foals but then it breaks down into something much heavier, I'm feeling real Royal Blood vibes towards the end of the track. There's a swagger on this song, and I cannot wait to hear it live.
'Element' is one of the bands oldest tracks, originally released back in 2019, with the title 'In My Element' it's recieved a reworking for the album, the song was a bold statement back then, with sharp quick witted songwriting, a euphoric delivery especially in the chorus. This version is even better, it feels beefed up, this is the band operating at full throttle, The Clause could be ten albums in and this one will always be in the setlist.
'White Lifelines' sounds like a long lost track from 'Favourite Worst Nightmare', and it's exceptional, with jagged riffs and call and response vocals, and restless energy. There's a chaos in this song, but it's measured and controlled the band know what they are doing, it's one of my favourite songs on the record. 'Elisha' the albums second single, changes direction and pace again, a song about a young romance that begins "behind a Wetherspoons in Leeds", a real nostalgic affair. The song takes the band back to their routes Referring back to their debut single, ‘Sixteen‘, the bands front man Pearce sings, “my discography is full of false starts” and, “clinging onto memories of sweet sixteen“
I've seen some flack about this one in other reviews, with some saying theirs an immatruity to songwriting on this song. However, it feels like it has it's place on the record.
Side B is where the band ramp things up though, where a good album becomes a great one. 'Exception' is nothing short of exceptional, a more reflective moment that sofens the relentles pace that we've had so far. Musically the song is more atmospheric than the others on the record, with a chorus that explodes, with one line cutting through "my only exception is you". In a song where the band sing love is for fools, it's clear that they have a few exceptions to their common beliefs. In social media posts around the record, I've already seeen one person mention that they are thinking of having it as their first dance song. I can see why!
'Weekend Millionaire', I declared this song as the second best song of 2024, and to be honest if my Spotify stats are anything to go by, it probably should have topped my list. A song that bottles up, youthful excess, delusion and relationships. A love letter to being young, payday fridays, ch
A song that embraces indulges and talks about why we do it. The final line is sums up the feelings of the song, "if lifes fucked up, do not despair, just live your life as a Weekend Millionaire". It's also the mission statement of the album, clinging to those moments, of youth even when the world sometimes doesn't allow you to. Not only one of the albums standout moments one of the greatest songds of the last five years, and one of the best songs to ever come out of Brum.
The theme from 'Weekend Millionaire' continues into 'I Don't Care. Another standout moment that doesn't pull in it's punches. A mantra for those who refuse to grow up, that tells a story from a few sides, your parents, the regretful you after the morning hangover, your mates, and ultimately your final decison.
"But my friends said that it's time to get a life
Quit your job and go on a bender'
Cause you'll never spend a penny you can't earn again
And you can sleep when you are dead"
"But my Mum says that it's time to get a life
Find a job and get better friends'
Cause you've never earnt a penny that you haven't spent
and it's time for it to end"
It's a song that doesn't apologise, and portrays the band for exactly who they are.
'Fever Dream' is a moodier ride, that takes fans for a real ride. Making it's title all the more relevant, it's one of the most confident songs on the record and in my opinion intentally or not has one of the most important lines on the record. “None of it will ever make sense to me”.
The Clause may have written a line that sums up just how young people are feeling with the state of the world.
'Pink Moon' is a tender ballad, that takes elemennt of Noel Gallagher's melancholy and haziness. It's a welcome change of pace from the previos moments. Yet it doesn't feel any less impactful, this is a sound that the band have explored before, and it's worked to great effect then 'Gabrielle' on the 2023, 'Pop Culture' had this similar sound and that to was brilliant. I can see this one becoming a live staple.
I didn't think The Clause would beat 'Weekend Millionaire' on this record, however, they have with 'Don't Blink' the albums final rallying cry, with some of the best lyrics on the album.
"Brass kids fill themselves with stem, from smart whips and sugar coated nicotine."
"The bars are filled with could-have-beens and FA rejects plaguee with dodgy knees."
"Half the kids from secondary are shifting gear to make ends meet"
"Stop holding onto small things and chasing yesterday".
"There's kids in bars with acoustic guitars, singing urban songs of praise."
It's a song about attempting to grow up, but your youth dragging back in. On an album that see's a band grappling with youth, identity, their past and future. This is the perfect song to close out their debut album.
This record is a statement of identity and intent proof that the band can craft arena-ready anthems, lovestruck bangers, and songs destined to soundtrack a new generation of indie kids. It's a brilliant debut, from a band who aren't here to make up the numbers, they are here to take over.